Speaker Vaz, Vice President Tran, members of the 76th ASUP Senate and Executive Board, faculty, staff and my fellow Pilots: Welcome to the fall 2025 State of the Campus Address here in the Brian J. Doyle Auditorium in Dundon-Berchtold Hall.
My name is Aidan James Sanchez, and I have the privilege of serving as your Student Body President. To our guests joining us this evening: Thank you for being here and for your continued investment in the student experience and the state of our campus. To our ASUP officers, senators, service directors and student workers: Thank you for the countless hours you dedicate to strengthening our campus community.
Every semester, in accordance with our governing documents, it is the ASUP President’s responsibility to deliver this address; a moment for us to reflect on our work, look ahead to the future and reaffirm our shared commitment to the values that unite our University of Portland community. Now in my second term as ASUP President, I’m proud to say that together, we’ve accomplished a great deal over the past year and a half. Tonight, in my penultimate address to you all, I’m excited to share where we’ve been, where we’re going and how we’ll continue moving forward together.
Fall 2025 in review
This academic year began unlike any other — in fact, it began earlier than usual for many. Over the summer, while working for the Office of Residence Life, I had the opportunity to join our orientation assistants in welcoming the Class of 2029 during three pre-orientation sessions of summer WAVE. WAVE, which stands for Welcome, Advising, Visitation and Engagement, offered incoming students the opportunity to get a head start in their UP experience.
Watching the Class of 2029 begin building their community before the academic year even started was incredibly meaningful. And as a tour guide myself, reconnecting with students and families who first visited campus as prospective students now returning as confirmed Pilot families highlighted the strength of our community and how special it truly is.
The summer WAVE experience would not be possible without the hard work of Director of Student Activities Jeromy Koffler, our ASUP Advisor Elizabeth Parkman and countless other campus partners who make these kinds of events possible.
The beginning of the fall semester can be described as one full of momentum, collaboration and placed emphasis on strengthening our community. At orientation, we welcomed all 797 of our new students, 695 first-years and 102 transfer students. Last year, I thought it was important that ASUP have a presence at fall orientation festivities and programs, which is something we continued this year. From helping families find their next orientation program to distributing water on the hottest day of the week, it was clear that ASUP had a more active presence during this orientation weekend. It is my hope that ASUP will continue this newfound tradition for years to come.
Each first-year also receives a custom planner to help them plan and navigate their first year of college. Each planner included a welcome letter from Vice President Tran and myself, a list of ASUP senators and executive board members, campus resources and so much more. ASUP is proud to be the primary funder of these resources, and I hope that we can continue to collaborate with the Shepard Academic Resource Center to continue providing them to generations of future Pilots.
This semester started differently than others of recent memory. Transparently, there has been a downward shift in student engagement and general interest throughout campus over the past couple of years. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Division of Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence and Athletic Department who noticed this and partnered with students to address it with the inaugural, action packed first six-weeks program, Dive In. For the first six weeks of classes, there were multiple events a week, with something for everyone. From Build-A-Bear to a stand-up comedian headlining Parents Weekend, the first six weeks of the 2025–26 academic year were certainly ones to remember. While I won’t be here to experience it next year, I am excited to see how the planning committee will use what we learned this past fall to make the next Dive In even better as it develops into a staple of the UP experience.
While we had many new events and programs to start the year, the first week of classes concluded as they always do, with supporting our incredible soccer programs and as always, Riverboat shortly followed on the Franz River Campus. Compared to last year, a higher percentage of the student body made their way down the hill to celebrate the beginning of the new academic year.
To wrap up homecoming and Dive In, I also offered ASUP’s semesterly presentation to our university’s governing body, the Board of Regents. In our meeting, I offered them updates on the student experience and the work of ASUP, where I emphasized the importance of increasing student engagement, an interest they shared. Overall, my meeting and presentation with the regents went very well. It is evident that every regent cares deeply, and I am grateful to the Board of Regent’s Student Affairs Committee for expressing interest in pursuing projects to support student involvement and engagement.
These meetings with the Board of Regents are incredibly valuable, as it is our opportunity as students to advocate for our community. Just last year, we saw major institutional change with the addition of gender identity to the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity policy at UP. When we come together as a campus community, we can advocate for and enact the change we want to see on our campus.
We are experiencing a unique time in UP history, as we are witnessing the birth of new traditions. From the golf cart parade to a reconceptualized Homecoming Weekend experience, I cannot wait to see what the future of these incredible events looks like. To my fellow students: With all these new traditions and initiatives, we are presented with an opportunity to shape our college experience into the one we want it to be. Right now, the Division of Student of Affairs and Inclusive Excellence has a live survey where we, as students, are being given an outlet to help shape the future of student life at the University of Portland, all by filling out the survey that was sent to us at the beginning of this month. I encourage all my peers, especially those who may be having trouble finding their own personal sense of belonging on the Bluff, to fill out this survey by Dec. 1.
I am also proud to share the constituent work ASUP has been working hard to produce this semester, much under the leadership of Speaker Giovanni Vaz.
Allow me to share some notable projects this semester:
In response to the increase in parking pass prices, Sophomore Senators Perla Molina Nuñez and Speaker Giovanni Vaz authored legislation advocating for further transparency and suggesting more student friendly policies. This resolution has been forwarded to the appropriate parties and ASUP is open and looking forward to working together on this matter.
Shiley School of Engineering Senators CJ Lobaton and Norbert Ramos hosted Matchas in Marcos, where they were able to meet with their constituents while making delicious matcha lattes.
Senator Nma Ukaegbu, Senator Rehema Baleke and Academic Affairs have done great work tabling and listening to the needs of their respective constituencies.
Nursing Senator Noelle Hurley is working with Dean Moceri to produce a reimagined pinning ceremony in May.
Senator Shane Ruyle has continued his work from last term to advocate for a more accessible UP and hosted a town hall in collaboration with the Social Justice Club and our Diversity and Social Responsibility Committee.
Director Kyler Lajoie held two informational budget town halls to educate new treasurers and update returning club treasurers on new policies. He also just wrapped up compiling a draft of the spring 2026 budget. A task where he and members of the Financial Management Board spent several hours over the past couple weeks preparing to propose the budget.
Vice President Paris Tran and her service directors are wrapping up a very productive fall semester where dozens of students were transported using Pilot Express and hundreds of students attended screenings hosted by ASUP Films. Mamma Mia and Wicked: Part 1 were shown, and Wicked: For Good is being shown in an exclusive pre-screening for 55 students this Wednesday.
CPB, under the leadership of Director Tommy Manibusan, has produced Riverboat, Nightmare on Willamette with Bonfire on the Bluff and a special Christmas Event coming up at the end of the semester. I cannot wait to see what next semester holds!
And ASUP has had an increased social media presence with consistent branding that I am so thankful to Director Sarah Cayabyab for producing.
I cannot mention all these successes without also mentioning where ASUP fell short this semester. Despite all of Vice President Tran’s hard work, following a series of resignations and invalid elections, we wrap-up this semester with two open senate positions. Unfortunately, the School of Business and the Class of 2026 are not being equally represented in the Senate. However, I am optimistic and hopeful that we will fill these seats very soon. I and the rest of ASUP thank Vice President Tran for all her hard work in filling these seats.
Overall, this was a very productive and active semester for ASUP, our campus and our community. I am very proud of all that we accomplished, and I look forward to what we will accomplish next semester.
This semester has also marked tremendous progress on a major project that will shape the UP experience for generations of Pilots, which has been an ASUP project for over three years: the new Welcome and Engagement Center. This proposed space, which will be constructed around the existing Pilot House and UP Bookstore, will serve as a hub for student life, connection and belonging, replacing our current and beloved student center, St. Mary’s. For those who may be unfamiliar, UP students were the first donors to this project when, three years ago through ASUP, the student body donated $375,000 to the project out of our endowment. Every student at the time of this donation knew that we would not get to experience this building. This was a donation made knowing that our contributions would go on to support and benefit generations of future Pilots. This was also not an unprecedented gift, as the last major project that ASUP made a gift of this amount was to contribute to the construction of the Beauchamp Recreation and Wellness Center.
As this building will be primarily funded via fundraising and external gifts, I am excited to see where this project goes and hope donors see and understand how important this Welcome and Engagement Center is to our students and community. Students started the race, and our donors will get us across the finish line.
Challenges and the road ahead
While many great things happened this semester, I cannot leave out the realities that continue to challenge our campus community. Many of our students, faculty, staff and their families are living in states of fear and uncertainty. Immigration raids are occurring throughout our state and nation, intolerance has become far too common in places where compassion should prevail and we just experienced the longest government shutdown in our nation’s history. Many students faced food insecurity after a pause in the distribution of SNAP benefits. I am grateful for programs such as StockUP that exist to support students in times of need. Know that regardless of anyone’s personal situation, the StockUP food pantry is available to all students to receive food, no questions asked, because no student should be forced to experience food insecurity.
I am at UP to study to become an educator; to walk alongside students and contribute to build a world better than the one we inherited. As I reflect on the world around us, I cannot help but think of the words inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol long regarded as a beacon of hope and democracy for our nation:
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
This is not the America I can say I recognize today. Yet, I remain confident. Confident because of the people in this room; the students who fill our classrooms, the educators who lead and teach with conviction and the community that continues to choose compassion over indifference. We are the next generation of leaders, and we will carry that lamp forward and work tirelessly to ensure that its light does not go out.
Many students have not yet learned about UP’s updated set of values. These core six values are: dignity, community, inquiry, ethics, engagement and hope. Even though these new values might not be recognized campus-wide yet, I see them all over campus through words and actions. UP is a richly diverse campus, and it is our community that makes us stronger.
So this evening, with confidence, I can share that the State of our Campus is united. United in our shared identity as Pilots. United in our commitment to one another. United in our belief that everybody on our campus is worthy of dignity, respect and care.
It is more than evident that UP students care about our community and will show up for one another, and it is that sense of unity that will carry us forward.
This was a long speech, and I thank you all for listening to it, but if you take one thing away from this evening, I hope it’s this: When we stand united, there is nothing the University of Portland student body can't achieve.
Thank you, God Bless and go Pilots.
Aidan James Sanchez is the ASUP president. He can be reached at sancheai26@up.edu.
